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                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.12
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
     We have issued our report dated July 11, 1997, except for Notes 2 and 10 as
to which the date is July 24, 1997, accompanying the combined financial
statements of Cherry Communications Incorporated and Cherry Communications U.K.
Limited for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 1996,
included in this Registration Statement of World Access, Inc. on Form S-4. We
consent to the use of the aforementioned report in this Form S-4 and to the use
of our name as it appears under the caption "Experts."
 
                                          /s/  GRANT THORNTON LLP
 
Chicago, Illinois
November 5, 1998